U.S. patent number 4,510,927 [Application Number 06/484,880] was granted by the patent office on 1985-04-16 for ankle brace.
Invention is credited to Rick E. Peters.
United States Patent |
4,510,927 |
Peters |
April 16, 1985 |
Ankle brace
Abstract
An ankle brace which permits plantoflexion and dorsiflexion
while limiting inversion and eversion of the ankle. The brace
includes a heel stirrup including a heel portion received under the
wearer's heel, and upstanding inner and outer side portions which
extend along and over the medial malleolus and the lateral
malleolus. A pair of padded members are securable to the lower part
of the person's leg and are pivotally attached to the inner and
outer side portions of the stirrup with the points of pivotal
movement being located at the position of the medial malleolus and
the lateral malleolus. A VELCRO strap is also used to secure the
stirrup to the person's foot.
Inventors: |
Peters; Rick E. (Batesville,
IN) |
Family
ID: |
23926013 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/484,880 |
Filed: |
April 14, 1983 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
602/27 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
5/0127 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
5/01 (20060101); A61F 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/8R,8F,8H,88,87R,166,165 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Yasko; John D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Woodard, Weikart, Emhardt &
Naughton
Claims
What I claim is:
1. An ankle brace apparatus for restricting inversion and eversion
while permitting plantoflexion and dorsiflexion, said apparatus
comprising:
a substantially rigid heel stirrup having a heel portion and a pair
of upstanding inner and outer side portions, the heel portion and
side portions being configured to be received about a person's foot
with the side portions extending upwardly along opposite sides of
the foot and overlying the ankle bones;
an inner padded member pivotally connected with the inner side
portion of said heel stirrup and configured to be received adjacent
the inside of the lower portion of the person's leg, said inner
padded member including a substantially rigid support member and
padding mounted to the support member and facing the person's
leg;
an outer padded member pivotally connected with the outer side
portion of said heel stirrup and configured to be received and
adjacent the outside of the lower portion of the person's leg, said
outer padded member including a substantially rigid support member
and padding mounted to the support member and facing the person's
leg;
first connection means for pivotally connecting the inner padded
member with the inner side portion of said stirrup with a first
pivotal axis located adjacent and extending through the person's
inner ankle bone;
second connection means for pivotally connecting the outer padded
member with the outer side portion of said stirrup with a second
pivotal axis located adjacent and extending through the person's
outer ankle bone, the first pivotal axis being spaced closer than
the second pivotal axis to the heel portion of said heel
stirrup;
first attachment means for attaching said heel stirrup to the
person's foot, said first attachment means including strap means
for connection to each of the side portions and for being secured
together overlying the front, upper surface of the person's foot;
and
second attachment means for attaching said inner and outer padded
members to the person's leg with the padding resting against the
inner and outer portions, respectively, of the lower leg.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said heel stirrup includes a
padding member mounted to the upper surface of the heel
portion.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the heel portion of said heel
stirrup extends forwardly on the outer side to underly the outer
portion of the person's foot.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said first attachment means
comprises a VELCRO strap connectable between the inner and outer
side portions.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said second attachment means
comprises a pair of VELCRO straps extending between the inner and
outer padded members along both the front and back, thereby
encircling the person's leg and securing said padded members
thereto.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said first attachment means
comprises a VELCRO strap connectable between the inner and outer
side portions.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said first and second
connection means comprise rivots connecting said inner and outer
padded members with the inner and outer side portions,
respectively.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the inner and outer side
portions are connected to said padded members on the outside of
said padded members.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said first attachment means
comprises a VELCO strap connectable between the inner and outer
side portions.
10. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said second attachment means
comprises a pair of VELCRO straps extending between the inner and
outer padded members along both the front and back, thereby
encircling the person's leg and securing said padded members
thereto.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which said first attachment means
comprises a VELCRO strap connectable between the inner and outer
side portions.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said heel stirrup includes a
padding member mounted to the upper surface of the heel
portion.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which the heel portion of said
heel stirrup extends forwardly on the outer side to underly the
outer portion of the person's foot.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the first pivotal axis is
spaced closer than the second pivotal axis to the heel portion by a
distance equal to the horizontal distance between the inner and
outer ankle bones.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of ankle braces, and in
particular to an ankle brace which immobilizes the ankle against
inversion or eversion while permitting plantoflexion and
dorsiflexion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The ankle is a part of the body which is one of the most prone to
injury. Once an ankle injury has occurred, it is usually necessary
or desirable to immobilize the ankle in a manner to permit healing
of the ankle. Various approaches have been proposed in the prior
art to support the ankle during the healing process, as well as for
other purposes including to prevent further injury.
Among athletes, injuries of the ankle such as by ankle sprains may
be second in frequency only to injuries to the knee. In a recent
survey of injuries suffered by various college football teams
during 1982, injuries of the ankle were second in occurrence only
to knee injuries. Of 2761 injuries to the athletes surveyed. 469 or
16% of the injuries were of the ankle, as compared to 21% of the
injuries having occurred to the knee. Of course, the freguency of
ankle injuries will vary among the different teams and sports.
Also, injuries to the ankle occur in a variety of settings in
addition to athletic endeavors. The important point is that
injuries to the ankle are common, and there is therefore a
significant concern for protecting the ankle during recovery and
against further injury.
Considerable disagreement currently exists as to the advisability
and actual effectiveness of using tape in the treatment or
prevention of ankle injuries. Adhesive tape has been used by
persons, including many trained professionals, for protecting the
ankle, although many disadvantages appear to exist. The application
of tape requires the time of a trained person, and is expensive
both in requiring the use of trained personnel and in the cost of
the tape itself. The support afforded by the tape may reduce by 40%
after ten minutes of vigorous activity. Repeated use of ankle
taping may lead to irritation to the bare, movable skin to which it
is applied. Also, moisture collecting under the tape will cause the
tape to loosen, thus diminishing its effectiveness.
Perhaps of equal concern in the usage of adhesive tape is that the
presence of the tape can lead to a weakening of the ankle,
particularly the supporting muscle tendons. The taping often
replaces the practice of thoroughly exercising the ankle joint, and
may give the person a false security which eventually becomes a
psychological crutch. Moreover, the rigid taping of the ankle locks
the subtalar joint, thereby increasing stress to the knee
joint.
Another alternative for the protection of the ankle is the use of
ankle wraps, such as elastic bandages. However, the use of such
bandages carries many of the same disadvantages as described with
respect to adhesive tape. In addition, such wraps may loosen
considerably, perhaps in the range of 34-77%, thus reducing the
effectiveness of the wrap for the intended purpose of protecting
the ankle. An elastic wrap designed particularly for supporting the
ankle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,000, issued to Baker on
Apr. 4, 1970. Another device constructed for this purpose is
described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,023, issued to Mann on July 4,
1972. The Mann device comprises a heel boot shaped much like the
rear half of a boot and mounted onto the foot by straps utilizing
VELCRO strips for attachment. An additional, informative discussion
of the prior art in this field is also included in the Mann
patent.
A third alternative that has surfaced in the prior art is the
employment of reusable ankle braces. Such braces have the advantage
of being able to be used many times, thus minimizing the cost
factor. Also, some of the disadvantages of adhesive tape or elastic
bandages are overcome by these braces. However, prior art braces
have typically involved only minimum of consideration to the
anatomical structure and functioning of the ankle. As a result,
many braces act to diminish or eliminate certain types of movement
of the ankle while the braces are in use. Many of the prior art
braces have also been quite bulky and uncomfortable, and in certain
instances have not done an effective job of protecting the ankle as
desired.
There are currently two types of ankle braces that are prevalent in
the market. A first type is the lace-up variety such as that
available from Tru-Fit Marketing Corporation, 680 Lynnway, Lynn,
Mass. 01905. The Tru-Fit ankle support is made of vinyl with nylon
reinforced webbing and extends from the instep to above the ankle.
The support laces up the front much like a high top boot or shoe. A
similar type of ankle support is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
4,280,488, issued to Polsky on July 28, 1981.
An ankle supporter is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 15,446, issued to
Hamilton on June 17, 1922. The Hamilton supporter includes side
members made of leather, felt, woven fabric or other suitable
material having flexibility to permit the sides to be pulled over
the ankle portions from the rear of the ankle at which the sides
are integrally joined. The side members include padding to provide
support for the narrower portions of the ankle structure, and the
whole unit is secured to the ankle by lacing over the front of the
foot. A similar device which is strapped onto the foot and wraps
over the sides of the ankle from the rear is disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 4,133,311, issued to Karczewski on Jan. 9, 1979.
A second type of brace which is currently common in the market is
available from Aircast Incorporated of Summit, N.J. This brace may
be covered by any of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,955,565, 4,280,489 and
4,287,920. The Aircast brace includes a bottom pad and a pair of
upwardly extending side members which are secured to either side of
the ankle by VELCRO strips which wrap around the ankle or leg. The
Aircast design is fairly simple, and apparently relies on the
vertically extending pads to protect the ankle from inversion and
eversion. However, the brace is relatively bulky and therefore may
not be useful with certain types of footwear, particularly with
high top shoes. Also, the Aircast brace includes a pivot point at
the connection of the bottom pad with the side members, thus
providing for pivoting at an anatomically incorrect location at the
bottom of the foot. This leads to a restriction of dorsiflexion and
plantoflexion of the ankle.
A simplified ankle brace is described in U.S. Pat. No. 112,952,
issued to Niswander on Mar. 21, 1871. The Niswander ankle brace
includes a stirrup formed of sheet metal and configured to extend
under the foot at about the heel. The stirrup curves upwardly a
short distance along the inside of the foot, and on the outside
extends upwardly to above the ankle bone. A side plate which is
laced to the lower part of the leg is connected with the side plate
by a rivet, thereby allowing for pivoting motion of the side plate
relative the stirrup.
An ankle brace and supporter is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 830,894,
issued to Garrod on Sept. 11, 1906. The Garrod device includes
pairs of longitudinal members positioned on each side of the leg
and pivotally mounted to a plate received under the heel of the
foot. The longitudinal members are strapped to the leg. As with
certain other devices, the pivoting motion permitted by this device
is inappropriate to the ankle structure since the pivot is
positioned below the foot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly describing one aspect of the present invention there is
provided an ankle brace for inhibiting eversion and inversion of
the ankle while permitting plantoflexion and dorsiflexion. The
invention includes a heel stirrup having upwardly extending side
portions which are pivotally connected to inner and outer padded
members received againt the person's leg. The axes for pivoting of
the side portions relative the padded members are locate adjacent
the respective inner and outer ankle bones.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a reusable
brace that protects the ankle against inversion and eversion
injuries, and which provides protection for the ankle during
recovery from such injuries.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ankle
brace which is easily put on and taken off, and which requires no
assistance from trained personnel.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an ankle
brace which is lightweight and comfortable for prolonged use, and
which also provides a maximum of protection for the ankle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ankle
brace which is relatively low in cost as compared to alternative
ankle protections, and which also avoids disadvantages of certain
prior art devices intended for protecting the ankle.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an ankle
brace which affords additional lateral support for the major type
of ankle sprain to the lateral side, and which also permits total
plantoflexion and dorsiflexion needed in walking and running.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent from the description of the preferred embodiment which
follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ankle brace constructed in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side, elevational view of the ankle brace of FIG.
1.
FIG. 3 is a front, elevational view of the ankle brace of FIG. 1,
and further including a portion being broken away to show the
manner of attachment of the upper strap.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of
the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment
illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to
describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no
limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such
alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device,
and such further applications of the principles of the invention as
illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to
one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
An individual's ankle has four movements referred to as
plantoflexion, dorsiflexion, inversion and eversion. Dorsiflexion
and plantoflexion are the up and down movement of the foot. These
two movements initiate from the talotibial joint and are used
mainly in walking and running. This joint movement is left
unrestricted by the ankle brace of the present invention. Inversion
and eversion are the inward and outward turning of the ankle. These
two movements initiate from the talocalcaneal joint and are the
main causes of ankle injuries. The present invention provides an
ankle brace which restricts these types of movement.
Referring in particular to the drawings, there is shown an ankle
brace 10 constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment.
The ankle brace 10 includes a heel stirrup 11 mounted to a pair of
padded members 12 and 13. As will be apparent from the following
description, the ankle brace provided hereby permits plantoflexion
and dorsiflexion of the ankle, while protecting the ankle from
eversion and inversion.
The heel stirrup 11 includes heel portion 14 which is sized and
configured to be conveniently received below and adjacent the heel
of the user of the brace. The heel portion may include a heel pad
15 to provide additional comfort for the wearer. The stirrup also
includes a pair of upstanding inner and outer side portions, 16 and
17 respectively. The side portions are configured to be received
adjacent the ankle of the wearer, particularly extending upwardly
along opposite sides of the ankle and overlying the ankle
bones.
As used herein, the ankle bones of relevance to the present
invention are in fact portions of the tibia and the fibula. The
inner ankle bone is considered for purposes herein to refer to the
medial malleolus, and the outer ankle bone refers to the lateral
malleolus. Although these are portions of the tibia and the fibula,
respectively, they are the prominent bone structure protruding
laterally in the area of the ankle and may be considered ankle
bones as relates to the present invention.
The inner and outer padded members, 12 and 13 respectively, are
similarly configured and constructed. In the preferred embodiment,
the padded members comprise a substantially rigid support member,
such as 18, to which is secured padding, such as 19. The inner
padded member 12 is pivotally connected with the inner side portion
16 of the heel stirrup and is configured to be received adjacent
the inside of the lower portion of the person's leg. Similarly, the
outer padded member 13 is pivotally connected with the outer side
portion 17 of the heel stirrup and is configured to be received
adjacent the outside of the lower portion of the person's leg.
The ankle brace 10 provides for pivotal connection of the
respective side portions and padded members to locate the pivoting
axes adjacent the respective ankle bones. The pivoting connection
may be afforded by a variety of constructions, but preferably
includes rivets 20 and 21 which attach together the associated side
portions and padded members. The inside rivet 20 is positioned to
be adjacent the medial malleolus such that the axis of pivoting
extends through the medial malleolus. Similarly, the outside rivet
21 is positioned to be adjacent the lateral malleolus such that the
axis of pivoting extends through the lateral malleolus.
Consequently, the outer rivet is positioned lower than and rearward
of the inside rivet to correspond with the related positioning of
the medial malleolus and the lateral malleolus.
Means are provided for attaching the heel stirrup to the user's
foot. This means preferably includes a strap connectable between
the side portions of the stirrup. In the preferred embodiment,
there is provided a buckle 22 attached through strap 23 and rivet
24 to the outer side portion 17 of the stirrup. A second strap 25
is secured to the inner side portion 16 by means of a rivet 26.
Although various types of straps and buckles may be used, it is
preferred to employ VELCRO straps in the following manner. The
strap 23 extends over one part of the buckle and then is doubled
over onto itself to provide attachment by interconnection of the
VELCRO stripping. Similarly, the second strap 25 is extended over
the foot and threaded into the buckle, pulled tight against the
front, upper surface of the foot, and then secured not only by
operation of the buckle but by doubling the VELCRO stripping over
onto itself to utilize the interconnection thereof. It has been
found preferable to attach the straps 23 and 25 relatively low on
the side portions, particularly the inner strap 25 being attached
adjacent the heel portion of the stirrup. This causes the straps,
when used, to pull the foot and ankle down tight against the heel
portion 14.
Means are also provided for securing the padded members to the
lower leg of the wearer of the brace. In the preferred embodiment
there is include a pair of VELCRO straps which extend between the
inner and outer padded members along both the front and back,
thereby encircling the person's leg and securing the padded members
thereto. As shown, there is included a lower strap 27 and an upper
strap 28, each of which is attached to the padded members in the
same fashion.
Upper strap 28 is secured at one end to the inner padded member 12
by means of a rivet 29. The exposed surface 30 at this end of the
strap 28 has a VELCRO surface. The back side of the strap is a
cloth-like surface designed for connection with the VELCRO strip.
On the outer padded member 13 there is provided a strip 31 secured
to the padded member by a pair of rivets, such as 32. The strip 31
has an exposed VELCRO surface.
To secure the upper strap about the padded members, the strap is
pulled around the back of the leg and first attached by connection
of the backside of the strap to the exposed VELCRO strip 31. The
strap 28 is then pulled around the front of the leg and attached by
connection of the backside 33 to the exposed VELCRO strip surface
30. In this manner, the straps 27 and 28 can be used to support the
padded members on the leg and in particular permit the location of
the padded members and the pressure applied at the front and back
sides to be varied to the extent desired.
The stirrup can be formed of a variety of materials. However, it is
desirable that the stirrup by a substantially rigid member. This
permits the ankle brace to support an amount of the downward forces
applied to the ankle during walking, running or standing. The
stirrup is also preferably configured to fit comfortably over the
foot and ankle. As shown particularly in FIG. 3, it is preferable
to form the stirrup with the side members displaced outwardly
adjacent the upper ends, as shown at 34 and 35. The inner and outer
side portions 16 and 17 are connected to the padded members on the
outside of the padded members. In this manner, the stirrup is
configured in a manner which permits it to be readily received
within the person's footwear. A further feature of the design of
the heel stirrup is that the heel portion preferably extends
forwardly on the outer side 36 to underly the outer portion of the
person's foot for providing additional support to the foot and
ankle against inversion sprains which are the number one occurring
ankle injury.
As described, the present invention is useful in connection with
the ankle to immobilize the ankle against inversion and eversion
while permitting plantoflexion and dorsiflexion. The unit is
anatomically correct with the axes of pivoting being placed
directly over the medial and lateral malleolous. This placement of
the axes reduces component failure, and provides for free and
proper movement of the ankle while the brace is being worn. This
apparatus thereby provides a high degree of bracing for an
individual's ankle while permitting desired motion. The device is
light in weight, is not bulky, and is relatively inexpensive.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in
the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be
considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it
being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown
and described and that all changes and modifications that come
within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
* * * * *